Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) is proposing to give new Alas Pilipinas Women head coach Tai Bundit the privilege of selecting top prospects for the national team during the Philippine Volleyball League (PVL) draft pick but with conditions.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Feb. 24, PNVF president Tony Boy Liao said the proposal would require players selected by Bundit to commit to the national team for two years, salary included.
However, this commitment would mean sitting out of the PVL, the country’s premier women’s volleyball tournament.
Liao said Bundit would have the opportunity to select players from this year’s PVL draft pool before club teams begin choosing their recruits.
“Ang unang pipili national team. Let’s say labing dalawa yung pinili. If there are 40 players at ang napili ay dose, ang matitira doon ay 28. Doon lang magsisimula ang drafting, yung draft pick among the 28 na lang,” Liao said.
[Translation: The national team picks first. Let’s say they select 12 players. If there are 40 players in total, that leaves 28. That is where the draft will begin, with club teams choosing only from the remaining 28.]
“So kukunin niya [Tai Bundit] siguro yung the best na nakikita niyang pwede niyang ma train,” he added.
[Translation: So Tai Bundit will probably select the players he believes he can train the best.]
Under the proposed system, once a selected player’s two year contract with the national team ends and is not renewed, the player may then join the 2028 PVL draft.
Fans react
The local volleyball community criticized the proposal as it could be unproductive for the careers of selected players who might struggle to maintain competitive form once national team activities are done.
Others raised concerns about the salary of national team players during the two-year contract.
coach tai, pakiconsider po yung kalendaryo niyo po dyan sa alas pilipinas. hindi po buong taon ang national team season. maawa po kayo sa players who just wanna earn for a living, huhu
— Gelo | #OustCMFTCoachingStaff #OustSergio (@gelolovesvolley) February 24, 2026
Just when we thought na wala ng conflict ang PNVF and PVL, may mga ganito na naman silang ganap. So after Alas stint, saan mapupunta yung players? Same salary ba with PVL teams? Maglalaro ba sila as RP team sa PVL after Alas? Ang gulo ng setup na yan. https://t.co/RF12b1w87C
— NU ✨ (@nationalufan) February 24, 2026
May sasahurin ba ang players from PNVF na same level ng PVL round 1 draftees??? https://t.co/GqtF94Pk5I
— ash (@mightygray99) February 24, 2026
Napag-eksperimentuhan pa nga ang Batch 2026. Jusko po.
— ຸ (@espanadapitan) February 24, 2026
Dapat kasing taas ng PVL first round pick ang salary cap ah? Para sa bayan ‘yan. Baka mamaya ₱15,000 na naman for one entire tournament. 😅 https://t.co/LB5JN2eAvl
